Dissertation
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- ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
- ABSTRACT
…………………………………………… SignEmmanuel Obobi Tettehfio NIM 2010389 DEDICATIONThis study is dedicated to my wife Mrs. Vivian Tettehfio who without her support and encouragement I could not have achieved this goal. To my sons, Kelvin, Deron, Osborne and Verena Dede Tettehfio who created a congenial atmosphere in the home to make concentration possible for me. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTA dissertation of this nature could only be produced with the assistance, guidance, and encouragement of others. I am very grateful to God, who, by his grace and mercy, protected me throughout my education. I am greatly indebted to Associate Professor Agus Satiawan and Associate Professor Iwan Kustiawan, my supervisors, for their assistance, selfless dedication, and hard work, despite their numerous duties. Also, thank you to the Head of Study Programme and the Director and deputy Director of SPS UPI. I am particularly indebted to my siblings; Elizabeth Tettehfio, Theresa Tettehfio, Esther Tettehfio, Michael Tettehfio, and Raymond Tettehfio. Since this study depended so heavily on fieldwork, I am especially grateful to the following persons and firms who made the field experience a joy: Toyota Ghana Ltd., Japan Motors Company Ltd., Kantanka Automobile Company Ltd., Silver Star Auto Ltd., the Ghana Tetiary Education Commission (GTEC), the Commission for Technical and Vocation Education Training (CTVET) some selected Technical Universities in Ghana, and friends and fellow scholars who read all or parts of the write-up and offered valuable criticisms, encouragement, and advice. I highly appreciate the role played by Professor Richard Fiifi Turkson and Ing. Dr. Atombo, respectively, the Dean and Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department at Ho Technical University, who took time off their heavy schedules to make useful suggestions and corrections to make this research a useful piece. ABSTRACTGhana, like many nations, struggles to close the digital skills gap, especially in mechanical engineering. Ghanaian Technical Universities (TU) conventional approach to teaching fails to prepare graduates for the digital era. This research addressed the digital skills gap in disruptive technologies between the Ghanaian engineering industry and TU mechanical engineering graduates. Explanatory mixed-method research was used to select participants using random and purposive sampling. The explanatory sequential design uses qualitative and quantitative methods sequentially to examine the research topic. Questionnaires, interview guides, and Focus Group Discussions (FGD) were used to collect data. The researchers randomly selected 52 mechanical engineering lecturers and 248 final- year students. Five Automotive Mechanical Engineering Managers with ten or more years of experience in automotive manufacturing and maintenance were purposefully selected. Two managers from the Commission on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) in charge of transformation and innovation for sustainable development were purposefully sampled and interviewed. A group of five academics from six of the ten technical Universities participated in a FDG. The research shows digital technology access and use discrepancies, emphasising the need for infrastructure, resources, and training. Mechanical engineering graduates and Ghanaian engineers have different digital skills. Relevant digital skills training and industry-academia partnerships are highlighted by the results. Digital skills like Artificial intelligence, Machine learning, 3D modelling, and robotics are in high demand, but industrial expertise is lacking. The findings emphasise the need to resolve knowledge gaps, strengthen infrastructure, and provide institutional support to equip graduates for successful careers in Ghanaian engineering. To integrate disruptive technologies into the learning environment and educate skills, the government should invest in digital infrastructure like reliable energy and high- speed internet. TU should partner with the industry to provide students with hands- on experience with digital technology. To assure that engineering students are appropriately identified by the industry for training, the government could act through memoranda of understanding. Download 2.1 Mb. Share with your friends:
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